26 August 2009

Here are two different ways to play the F chord without having to make a bar (or barre). Most guitar learners have trouble with the F chord when they come across it. The bar across the first fret is very difficult to make without first developing good technique and finger strength.

But the F chord doesn't have to be so hard when you know that there are different ways to play the F chord. In the rest of this lesson you will learn two fingerings to play the F chord without making a bar.

Firstly you are going to learn a simple three finger position to play notes from the F bar chord at fret one. Then we'll have a look at another F chord fingering based on the simple open D chord you can use a little higher up the neck.

F Chord 3 Finger Version

The first way to play an F chord without making the bar is to play only the three notes shown in the diagram below.

It can take a little practice to place your fingers across three frets like this, but until your fingers are stronger it's less of a struggle than making a bar.

Here's a little trick you can use to get a good sound. Lean your index finger down towards the bottom string so that you touch the first string with the side of the finger tip. This muffles the first string so it doesn't ring out when you strum. If you sound the first string E note then you'll end up playing an Fmaj7 chord instead.

F Chord from D Shape

You can also play the F chord a little further up the neck using the familiar D chord shape shown below.

You may have learned this fingering at the second fret to form a D major chord. But you can also move it up three frets to the fifth fret and it becomes an F chord. Check the notes on the third, second and first strings: C, F, A - the fifth, root, and third of the F major chord.

Note that the open fourth string remains a D when you move this fingering up the neck so you should avoid picking this string when you play the F chord.

You can optionally play the F root note in the bass at the 3rd fret. To do this use the fingering shown below - it takes quite a stretch so you might need some time to make it. Start by learning to make the basic three finger shape using the second, third and fourth fingers of your fretting hand. When you can do this easily then you can try to add the root note with the first finger.

I probably shouldn't ask this because everyone is different, but how long does it take to learn barre chords? I can play them, not perfectly 100% of the time (a little buzzing) but changing from a non-barre to barre is so slow for me. It's frustrating. I've been playing for six months. I know it's not a contest but I have no frame of reference. Any suggestions? Plus, my carpel tunnel is acting up - I'm wearing a brace at night so it's a little better. Thanks for your help!

Hi Leslie, Your progress with barre chords depends a lot on how much, and how well, you practice them. It also depends on the kind of guitar you play, they are much easier to play on an electric for example.

I wouldn't worry too much after only 6 months. After many years I still get buzzing or muffled notes sometimes, that's just part of the territory.

Don't try to force things - especially if you're getting pain (consider reducing the amount of time you spend on them in this case) - and let your barre chord skills develop at their own pace. If you practice consistently without overdoing things you will notice a big improvement in a few months time.

thankyou so much! this has really helped be able to play my favorite song Liquid Confidence by You Me At Six <3 i have only been playing for a few days but i am determined to conquer it(: you've helped me so much, thankyou(:

Hey guys i am a beginner... So may be my words don't count much... nyways I found a fast(also kinda boring) way of learning barre chords... u just have to hold 'A' barre chord(5th fret) strum it 8 times then shift to 'G' barre chord(3rd fret) & do d same... & switch back n forth "as long as u can & as many times possible every day"... At some point, u ll know when... decrease d strumming to 4 stokes then shift back n forth... then bring it down to 2... u ll get a hang of it in a week or 2... Well after that, all that's left is d annoying, open to barre chord switches... Which at this point is all about perseverance & patience... Remember, 1 step at a time...Tips :-1. Keep ur index finger straight when u barre... ( its really hard.)2. Keep ur middle finger at d end of its respecive fret...(needs a bit of flexibility.)

thanks a lot ....... been learning to play for a few weeks and F was killing me .... now i can jam so many more of my favourite songs .... i thought guitar playing would be so hard ! but really its quite easy to learn the basic chords and play 1000s songs .. i would encourage anybody to learn .. because nothing like that feeling when i master a tune . thanks for the easy Fso i can learn so many more